Second Guessing Doing the Program

[nyislandersprincess]

I'm supposed to start the DCP in a little over a month and now I'm seriously doubting whether I should go or not. I was really excited about this opportunity, but the closer it gets the less excited I get. Part of the problem is I've been really disappointed by the interactions I see between participants online. I transferred from my original college because of similar attitudes there. The semester I spent at that school were the worst few months of my life, and I'm honestly terrified of that repeating at Disney.

I have applied for a few full time jobs back home that are better opportunities for me (more related to my field, pay better, etc) but if I don't hear about them before I'm supposed to leave, I can't quit the DCP.

Does anybody have any advice for me? This has become really frustrating for me and at this point, I'm not sure what to do.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

If you're referring to the drama-filled DCP Facebook groups, those people are completely irrelevant once they actually get here. Most of the CPs I work with hated the Facebook groups before they arrived.

 

[SureAsLiz]

The most important thing to remember is that people are much braver online than they are in person, and thus will say things they wouldn't dare say in person. There are also thousands of people in the DCP who do not participate in the Facebook groups.

You are going to run into petty people no matter if you are at Disney or back home, you just need to decide where you want to be when you encounter these people.

Also, only you can control your reactions to others. They may be petty, or rude, but your reaction (or non-reaction) is more important. If you don't want to be near someone, then don't be near them. There are 75,000 cast in Orlando, and many of them are fantastic people. Make the best of your program, surround yourself with good people, and it will be one of the best experiences you will have

 

[dizagain]

Everyone goes through doubts and nerves before their program begins. I have two DD' s who have done the program. One never looked at the social media groups and had an amazing experience with some of her randomly chosen roommates. One met a few roommates online (she had an awful college dorm experience) and that has worked out for her as well. Yes, one of five girls was not the person she appeared to be on FB and moved out early on. The rest, including a random, have become great friends. The replacement roommate moved in from another apartment- while they are not close friends at all, they have a respectful and friendly relationship.

Give it a chance-be prepared to work like crazy and be open to new possibilities.

 

[PrincessBrittany06]

stick with it! i promise you won't regret it!

 

[thumpergirl101]

Your experience in the program depends almost entirely on the location you're placed in. There are thousands of CPs, so some of them are bound to be obnoxious, but the chances you'll work with any of them closely are slight. In my location there were only 2 CPs besides me, and they were both wonderful. I too was discouraged by some of the people from the FB group, but I honestly never met a CP who wasn't lovely.

There will always be people out there that you won't get along with, but I loved the vast majority of my coworkers.

However, doing a CP might not be right for you. If you have other full-time opportunities that will be better for your resume and desired career, then perhaps that's the path you should follow. Just keep in mind that quitting the College Program, even before you start, can make it more difficult to be hired by Disney in the future, if that's where your aspirations lay.

That being said, my CP was the best experience of my life. There were definitely hard times, but overall it was a really fulfilling experience.